Beverage holder

ABSTRACT

A holder  10  according to the present invention is disclosed. The holder  10  includes a mount  12 , receiver,  14 , and base  16 . The holder  10  is operable to support a beverage container  11  in various locations where the drinker has need of both hands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0001] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a holder 10 according to the presentinvention is disclosed. The holder 10 includes a mount 12, receiver 14,and base 16. The holder 10 is operable to support a beverage container11 in various locations where the drinker has need of both hands.

[0002] The mount 12 is a generally flat plate including a slot forinterchangeably receiving advertising literature. The advertisingliterature may also be held in a recessed area substantially centrallylocated in the mount 12. The mount preferably also includes somesubstantially permanent message or advertisement. The mount is attachedto a mounting surface, such as a wall, bathroom stall partition, or doorin convenient locations such as bathrooms and near telephones. The mountis attached with adhesive or fasteners such as screws or bolts. Themount includes two mount apertures 18 for holding the receiver 14 andbase 16. The perimeter of the mount 12 preferably has a roundedconfiguration and may be oval or elliptical in shape. The orientation ofthe mount is determined by the mounting surface, which is preferablynear vertical.

[0003] The receiver 14 is preferably of wire construction with afrusto-conical shape that increases in diameter and opens upwardly toreceive different sizes of beverage containers. The bottom of the coneterminates with the base 16. In the embodiment shown there is an upperlarge ring 20, a middle ring 22, and a bottom ring 24. The rings 20-24are preferably made of wire. The upper ring 20 has the largest diameterand the middle ring 22 and bottom ring 24 are the same diameter.Alternatively, the bottom ring 24 has a diameter smaller than the middlering 22. The upper ring 20 is connected to the mount 12 with wire mountclips 26 that extend into the mount apertures 18. The mount clips 26bend behind the mount 12 to secure the receiver 14. If desired, thereceiver is removable from the mount 12. Alternatively, the receiver 14is generally permanently attached to the mount to prevent inadvertentremoval. Alternatively, the clips 26 are flared or increased in diameteron the backside of the mount 12. Receiver connecting wires 28, whichextend generally vertically between the rings, connect the rings 20-24to each other. There are preferably two receiver connecting wires 28with one between each of the rings 20-24. Alternatively, additionalconnecting wires 28 are used, so that two or more wires 28 attach theadjacent rings.

[0004] In an alternate embodiment, the receiver is a spirally wound wirethat decreases in diameter as it spirals downward. Thus, the receiver ofthis embodiment spirals both inward and downward. If desired, connectingwires are used to reinforce the receiver by connecting the differentlevels of the spiral. In this embodiment the base is either connected tothe receiver as described below or the, base is integral to thereceiver. If integral, the spiral of the receiver begins a planar spiralinward. That is, it ceases to spiral downwardly, and simply coils toform a generally planar surface for the base.

[0005] The base 16 provides a generally planar surface to support abeverage container while the receiver, which extends upwardly from thebase, keeps the beverage container from tipping. A coiled wire forms thebase 16; that is, it only spirals inwardly. An outer end 30 of the coilis attached to the bottom ring 24 by a base connecting wire 32. If,desired, additional base connecting wires attach the base to the bottomring 24 for additional support.

[0006] The mount 12 is attached to a mounting surface, and the base 16vertically supports the beverage container 11 while the receiver 14supports it horizontally to inhibit tipping. This allows the drinker totake the drink to every location desired without leaving the drinkbehind where it can be stolen or tampered with, while having both handsfree for necessary activities.

[0007] In a method of temporarily storing a beverage container, themount is placed in a convenient location near other facilities such as aphone, sink, or toilet, and a drinker places the beverage container 11in the holder 10 while performing desired activities. Thus, the beveragecontainer stays within the control or, at least, the view of the drinkerat substantially all times. This inhibits tampering and theft of thebeverage container.

[0008] In an alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 3&4, a holder 50comprises a generally integral construction including a mount 52,receiver 54, and base 56. The mount 52 is a generally flat plateincluding a slot for interchangeably receiving advertising literature.The advertising literature may also be held in a recessed areasubstantially centrally located in the mount 52. The mount preferablyalso includes some substantially permanent message or advertisement. Themount is attached to a mounting surface, such as a wall, bathroom stallpartition, or door in convenient locations such as bathrooms and neartelephones. The mount is attached with adhesive or fasteners such asscrews or bolts. The perimeter of the mount 52 preferably is generallyrectangular with a rounded top 58.

[0009] The receiver 54 is integral to the mount 52 and extends/bendsaway from the mount, and thus the mounting surface, at a downward angleranging from approximately 91 degrees to 165 degrees. More preferably,the downward angle is approximately 135 degrees. The receiver defines anaperture 60 sized to receive beverage containers 11 of varying sizes.The aperture is substantially circular and generally centrally locatedin the receiver, and has a high end 62 closer to the mount and a low end64 closer to the base 56.

[0010] The base 56 is integral to the receiver 54 and mount 52, andincludes an integral depth leg 66 that joins the base to the receiver.The leg 66 extends downward from the low end 64 of the receiver and isparallel to the mount, so that is preferably vertical. The leg 66 spacesthe receiver from the base, so that horizontal support is supplied tothe beverage container 11 at a sufficiently high point to inhibittipping. Increasing the length of the leg 66 will raise the supportpoint further. The base 56 is substantially perpendicular to the mountand leg, so that it is preferably horizontal. The base is approximately45 degrees relative to the receiver 54. The length of the base issufficient to extend to and contact the mounting surface. Thus, the freeend 68 of the base is substantially planar to the backside of the mount52.

What is claimed is:
 1. A beverage holder for mounting on a mountingsurface in a desired location, the holder comprising: a holder mountoperable to mount the holder on the mounting surface, a receiverattached to the holder mount for receiving a beverage container, a basepositioned below the receiver to support the beverage container in thereceiver, and an advertising mount for display of advertisingliterature.
 2. The beverage holder of claim 1 wherein the advertisingmount is provider on the holder mount.
 3. The beverage holder of claim 1wherein the receiver comprises a wire construction having afrusto-conical shape.